Congratulations to 2024 SITE Mentee of the Year Akhona Fakudze! 

Pat Sandall, Akhona's 2024 mentor through SITE's Mentoring Members program, details what makes Akhona a standout Young Leader and rising incentive leader in his destination. 

I have mentored other young people within the MICE industry over the years, but Akhona has been the most joyful to work with. 

A little bit of trepidation was felt on my part as I have limited knowledge of the African markets, its internal challenges or its corporate attitudes. Akhona will admit that he is also very new to the MICE industry and is working with a destination that is undeveloped in the rawest sense. 

He told me that he was looking forward to gaining insight into the industry and was hoping that my experience would be able to guide him grow his family business from being a small transportation/guiding company to being the leader in MICE tourism in eSwatini, a country where it is still an unknown concept. A tall order for an unexperienced freshman! 

 He however is smart, keen, enthusiastic and willing to soak up as much information and knowledge as possible. He has been able to teach me about local industry challenges, business frustrations and demographic awareness — so that together, we have been able to walk forward through this partnership. 

We have covered wide and various topics, with the aim of strengthening his understanding of the incentive industry both as an inbound DMC operator and as an agency marketing the potential of incentive programs to local businesses.

These topics are often re-visited as Akhona takes the time to investigate them further and often raises queries or projects insights based on these findings. He is not afraid to question or deliver his thoughts on a topic. Our conversations are without limits. 

Akhona has already seen growth and diversification in his business within six months after initiating fresh strategies and developing his skills laterally. He has become way more proactive and is more open to ideas and opportunities. 

He is the only SITE member in eSwatini (and the only Africa-based mentee in the 2024 cohort) and therefore has no fellow members locally to discuss on the ground issues. 

He does, however, follow SITE Africa and attends as many tourism forums and educational sessions as he can (usually a four-hour drive away in Johannesburg), not just with SITE, but with other African tourism association groups such as SAACI as well. 

At these meetings he takes time to increase and widen his network and ensures he follows up and builds on new relationships. 

He also works closely with the tourism authorities in eSwatini and shares potential developments. He was quite enthusiastic to announce that the tourism board will soon have a dedicated convention bureau — and he has already made advance contact with the department.

He continually wants to build avenues and enhance his knowledge. He is hungry to put his theories and new learning into practice. He understands that his goals are a moveable feast and is already flexing and flowing with them. 

I am confident Akhona will continue to learn, to flourish and succeed.